Untalented enough to be expendable
by Queen Cassie Loves You
Summary: Rosalie makes a mistake which could cost her everything. Suddenly caught up in a complicated world far more serious than she could have imagined ... Rosalie must rely on Emmett while learning to see what he sees: she is more than just beauty ...


**Rosalie's side of the story – two years ago in the forest**

The deer trotted through the forest, blissfully unaware that she was being followed. She stopped to eat grass. Rosalie landed with graceful and silent ease. She watched it through half closed, violet eyes; tracking its every move. She could have caught it by now, but she was having a lazy afternoon. She was hungry, but no painfully so.

Rosalie edged closer, and that is when she got distracted by a flash of light. She turned, abandoning the deer to seek out the light. Her curiosity was a curse. Stepping lightly and daintily through the trees, she found the source of the light. Sitting in the middle of the clearing, was the most beautiful jewel she had ever seen. She stepped closer and dropped to her knees by the jewel; captivated by its beauty. She gently took it into her hand held it there. It seemed to be burning white hot, seeping into her very skin; but still she could not let it go. Rosalie simply sat there watching it; her violet eyes reflecting an undisguised need for it.

Then she heard a crash. She jumped up and looked around. The jewel held in her hand. Rosalie fled through the trees. Then, when she was almost out the forest, she realised she still had the jewel. She did not know what to do. She would never be able to retract (? Is that the word you mean?) to the place where she had found the jewel. Then a figure appeared through the dark. She dropped the jewel in the hollow of a tree. It took some peeling to remove it from where it had burned into her hand, but eventually she had it free. She thought that the hollow in the tree was a little cubbyhole. She did not realise it went all the way through the tree. Rosalie did not even notice the pain in her hand, and by the time she had it had been healed; almost as though it had never been there. There was a faint scar running across the palm, which she could later use to prove her story.

She hovered, not keen on leaving the jewel, but knowing it was not hers to take. She sensed that this jewel would prove to be more trouble than it's worth. Little did she know how right her thoughts would turn out to be. Rosalie then tried to think of a way she could mark the tree so that the owner of the jewel would know it was there, but not so obvious that someone would steal it. She used one of her nails to scratch a message deep into the tree's bark.

_For those who seek what they have lost._

_The prize was found that has no cost_

_This tree inside its bark does for now keep_

_the prize which you who have lost, now seek_

Rosalie hoped that riddle would be enough. She then backed away and looked around. The figure was coming closer. Taking an unnecessary deep breath, she then flitted away through the remaining trees until she was safely back in the house. She hoped that she would never have to hear about the stone, ever. Her wish, however, was not to come true; as wishes rarely do.

Rosalie looked around the house. Emmett and the other boys were still not back from wherever they had gone. They had taken Emmett's Jeep to pick up a surprise. They refused to tell Rosalie what the surprise was, but she had got bored of guessing. Alice and Jasper had gone shopping. They had invited her along, but she had not wished to feel like a third wheel so she had informed Esme she was going hunting.

She checked the figure had not followed her. Rosalie would have stopped to explain to the figure but, without Emmett around, she did not want to get into any situation where she might need rescuing.

**Selena's side of the story – two years ago in the forest**

Selena hurried through the forest as fast as her short legs could carry her. She knew Ryan would be angry if she was late. She held in her hand, the stone. She knew she should have kept it in a case or something, but she had not had time. She was so late. She could not flit with her true speed for fear of damaging the stone, so she was running as fast as her human body would allow.

Selena hated the forest. She flinched when she heard noises. Closing her eyes, she risked the stone and flitted. When she arrived in front of the cave, she entered but could not see anything. Looking to her hand to see why the stone was not glowing, she saw it was no longer there. Paling,Selena turned around, flinched again and shivered; her pale skin paling even more. Ryan was going to tear her apart if she had lost it. She moved back through the trees her eyes scanning the ground, desperately searching for it.

_**Xx Flashback xX**_

'Do not lose it!'

The deep, booming voice echoed through the cave. She could not see who was saying it. She could not see anything. She could just hear the resounding voice. Ryan stood beside her, his hand in hers, holding it tight. They looked into the darkness. The voice was now telling them where the stone could be found. Their orders were simple: Find the stone and bring it back. The voice died away and they both left the cave.

Ryan softly kissed her, his hands gently cupping her face. He then pushed a strand of hair out her face and looked into her eyes. Only pure love lay there. Deep inside the blood red but somehow soft and gentle eyes. You could see from a glance that Selena would never hurt anyone on purpose. He then disappeared into the shadows, leaving her there; alone and scared.

She moved through the forest with the directions ringing in head. She and Ryan had agreed to split up and then meet back at the cave when one of them had found the stone.

_**Xx Flashback xX**_

Selena swore under her breath and tried to fight the tears. She had let him down. She loved him, and she had let him down. She then heard movement and saw the glow. She saw Rosalie. Pausing, she watched from the shadows, out of sight, as Rosalie picked up the stone. She watched Rosalie admire the stone; saw how it burned into her hand. Confused as to why it had never burned her. Selena admired the strength with which Rosalie ignored the burning. She made to move forward, but she blinked and Rosalie was gone. She looked thoughtful. Determined to think the best, she tracked the way she thought Rosalie had gone; sure that she must have taken the stone by accident.

She was moving through the forest, when Selena bumped into a figure and was sent sprawling. It was Ryan. He stood there, arms crossed and he did not look happy.

'Do you have it?' he grunted, with a angry expression.

Selena stood. She was so scared of Ryan. She quickly said, 'Rosalie stole it from me!'

She sighed with relief as Ryan's expression relaxed into one of concern. He gently pulled her into a hug. She was so happy he was not angry with her, that she did not even feel guilty for lying. She knew Ryan would be angry with Rosalie now; would track her. But she did not care. She was so scared of Ryan. Too scared to confess she had dropped the stone. Selena was content with letting him think Rosalie had stolen it from her.

Taking her hand, Ryan moved through the trees, following Rosalie's scent. They came to the outskirts of the forest. Ryan left Selena by a tree and hurried off to scope out the neighbourhood. It looked like they would be staying a lot longer than planned. Selena looked around and saw the writing on the tree. She moved forward and gently traced the writing. Rosalie had left the stone for them. She looked inside the tree, but could not find the stone. It was dark inside the tree and she could not reach to the bottom. But it seemed that the stone was not there, so she hurriedly scrubbed away the writing until the message was so faint it was barely visible. The stone was not there. So what did the message mean? Had Rosalie stolen the stone but left the message to make it seem like it was not her? That was all she could think of.

It was too late now, anyhow. Let Ryan do whatever he needed. What's the worst he could do?

**Ryan's side of the story: **Two years ago in the forest.

She was just so beautiful. He watched her with fascination. It was not just her. It was her obvious love and affection for all living creatures. She was filled with so much compassion. He could not understand it, but he loved it. He gently touched her shoulder and watched her spin around to greet him, her face lighting up. She took his hands in hers. He gently kissed her, and then murmured, 'We need to get going …'

She followed him through the trees. He knew she would follow him anywhere. They entered the cave and stopped. He held her hand tight. It was pitch black and he could not see a thing. He heard their orders issued, as if from nowhere, by a booming voice. He then returned to the sunlight again. Giving Selena a quick fleeting kiss and taking a moment to memorise her features, he left her and disappeared off through the trees.

Hours later, his searching had found nothing, but he sensed his partner had been more successful. He sprinted through the forest and found her. He then saw she was empty handed. He felt a surge of anger overtaking him. He was ready to hurt her if she had lost it. But she looked so scared that he was suddenly filled with concern and pity.

He pulled her close and held her tight. Rosalie would need to be found and made, if need be, to be give up the stone. And she would suffer if she had hurt Selena …


End file.
